KAMPALA – Child’s i Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation that helps children return to families by rebuilding family support systems has put a smile on faces of parents of children with disabilities in Makindye after giving them different devices including wheelchairs, stand boards among others.
Handing over the facilities at Makindye Division offices on Wednesday, Ms Susan Ajok, the Child’s i Foundation county director said that the move is intended to make life a bit bearable to them as children living with disabilities.
“As you can see, the parents especially the mothers spend a lot of time taking care of children,” she said adding that “So we’re hoping that supporting them with these devices will make life a little more bearable. A mother will have chance to pay attention to other things once the child with disability is in a chair other than carrying them all the time.”
Ms Ajok said that in collaboration with Makindye Division, they are going to support a total of thirty-eight children aged between three and twelve.
“We have been supporting many beneficiaries in Makindye Division but particularly for today we are distributing devices to children living with disabilities,” she said.
She added that “We are here also to celebrate the parents and care takers of these children because as you know, taking care of a child with special needs is a full time job. Many of these have abandoned what they would be doing; say to earn income, so we want to appreciate them.”
Ms Ajok said that it’s their role to demonstrate to the public that children with special needs are “our” children as a country and as a community and “we want to draw the attention of all partners to come and support efforts of Child’s i Foundation.”
Mr. David Adoke, the project manager said that with their different community volunteers, they are able to identify the children with special needs.
He said that having identified them, their team of social workers go there and assess the kind of help they need.
Hajjati Hawa Ali, one of the parents with a child with special needs lauded the Foundation for their sincere help and restoring hope to them.
“Today is a very special day for me and my child because we never expected this. Most of the things that I never expected to get for my child like a wheelchair have been given to me at no cost,” she said, adding that “I never expected to get these shoes because they are too expensive for me to afford.”
Ms Hawa, however, decried the cost of non-reusable pampers she has to buy on a daily basis which are quite expensive for me as a poor mother.
She also revealed that she spends Shs70,000 on a one-week medication dosage costs.
She pleaded to the government to find better and accessible ways of supporting parents with children with special needs.
“We are told that there is money for people with disabilities but as normal people we can’t afford the procedures because at some point we are asked to pay money which we don’t have.”
Ms Hawa asked for help from anyone through 0706966037/0782001818.
Another parent, Salongo Sserwadda from Kabalagala with a 17-year-old child with disability says that the wheelchair will help their child during movement and at home.
Just like Hajjati Hawa, Sserwadda says that the money he spends on pampers is quite a lot.
He also asked government to find an easy and possible way of helping parents with children with disabilities.
In 2020, Child’s i Foundation distributed about 50 bicycles to 15 community volunteers across Makindye Division, to enable them to reach and support 150 vulnerable households in the community, provide vital support and increase the numbers of referrals to emergency services.